Mommy & Me . . . Baking Apple Pie

It is National Apple Pie Day and I’m reposting this  “Mommy & Me” date on Mother’s Day Weekend.   I’ve enjoyed Mommy and Me cooking afternoons to make sure I have all the details on the heritage recipes our family loves.  Apple Pie is one dessert that Daddy loved.

Solid top or lattice crust, Alberta’s Apple Pie always gets rave reviews.

Friends know this deep-dish fruit pie is one of Mommy’s specialties; food writer Sharon Sanders sampled it and shared Mom’s  pie skills in the Chicago Sun-Times.

I hope you’ll try it—I’m sure you’ll agree this pie is a keeper.

Alberta’s Apple Pie
Pastry
2- 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup Crisco shortening

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

1 egg, separated (see note)

1 teaspoon lemon juice
Sift flour and salt in a mixing bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender. In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolk and lemon juice. Add to flour mixture, gently stirring until all flour is moistened. Shape into a ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Note: Reserve egg white for brushing crust before baking.

Filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar plus additional for dusting crust
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 to 2 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, thinly sliced

Pastry for a 2-crust pie)

2 tablespoons butter softened

Vanilla Ice Cream

Caramel Topping

Toasted walnuts or pecans
In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup each granulated and brown sugars, flour, spices, salt, lemon juice and apples. Toss lightly to mix. Set aside.
Divide pastry in half. On lightly floured work surface, roll pastry from center into a circle 11/2 inches larger than a regular 10-inch pie pan or a 9-inch deep-dish pan.

Place circle in bottom of pan. Press to fit. Pour reserved apple mixture into crust. Dot apples with butter.
Roll remaining pastry from center into a circle large enough to cover filling. Place crust over apple filling. Fold top edge under bottom edge, trimming if necessary. Flute edge.
Cut slits in top pastry. Brush top crust with lightly beaten egg white (reserved from pastry). Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.

Bake in preheated 400^o oven 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375-degrees Bake 40 to 45 minutes until crust is browned and juices bubble from slits. Remove from oven to cool.  Serve with vanilla ice cream, caramel topping and toasted walnuts, if desired. Makes one 10-inch pie.

.